Specific OSHA requirements have to be met in order to use any type of forklift. Many of the companies utilizing forklifts will provide basic training to the other sales and office staff in combination with visitors and other non operators who might venture into the distribution areas. Though OSHA doesn't specifically deal with lift truck pedestrian training, the OSHA General Duty Clause dictates that employers need to take measures in order to protect employees from some dangers, like for example pedestrians exposed to lift trucks in motion.
Pedestrian safety is a huge problem that needs to be dealt with and not disregarded. Based on the NIOSH or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; approximately 20 percent of all forklift mishaps comprise a pedestrian being struck by a forklift. This statistic means approximately 19,000 individuals each and every year.
So as to keep everyone safe, there are some basic steps which should be taken into account. This is regardless to how briefly or frequently individuals are around industrial trucks in their work day. One of the major factors is that lift truck pedestrian mishaps often happen in situations where the pedestrian is not aware of safety precautions. Issues also occur more frequently when the pedestrian ends up complacent since he or she has become used to frequent interaction with forklifts.
There are some common situations to look out for in order to avoid placing yourself at possible risk from being struck by a forklift. Pedestrians not seeing the forklift is a common issue that needs to be dealt with. Numerous operations have varying degrees of intersections or blind corners that pedestrians need to know. At times pedestrians do not hear the lift truck. Be really careful of the different kinds of power sources. Like for example, electric trucks could be a lot quieter as opposed to IC engines that are super loud.
Coming in too close proximity of the machinery is another common issue for pedestrians. In order for a pedestrian to be injured by a lift truck, common sense tells us that the pedestrian has to be in close proximity to be struck. For a forklift that is running, a four foot safety zone is suggested in order to make a safe perimeter for everybody. This helps to deal with risks like the model driving accidentally over the foot of a pedestrian.
Following and implementing strict safety protocol helps to make certain that the workplace safety remains paramount and stays top notch.